On 1 February, a new gastronomic tour of
Argentina launched from Zicasso, the US-based travel referral
service. The 11-day food and wine tour takes travellers to the cities of Buenos
Aires, Bariloche and Mendoza, and includes cooking classes, hosted dinners,
lessons in traditional barbeque and wine tastings.

On 4 February, the Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace
opens in Las Vegas, the first Nobu-branded hotel from chef Nobu Matsuhisa and
his partner Robert De Niro (future locations will be in London, Bahrain and
Saudi Arabia). The 181-room hotel has its own private entrance within Caesars
and will house the world’s largest Nobu restaurant, which will also offer room
service.

Another master chef pairs with a hotel, with the
opening of the Ametsa with Arzak Instruction
restaurant at the Halkin by COMO
hotel in London’s leafy
Belgravia neighbourhood, which starts taking reservations on 15 February for
the 1 March opening. Elena Arzak and her father Juan Mari Arzak bring their
Michelin-star winning talents to the English city from their eponymous
restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain. The restaurant’s Basque cuisine will use
locally sourced and organic produce, and is one of the capital’s most
anticipated restaurant openings of the year.

On 14 February, the Westin Birmingham
opens in the city’s new Uptown entertainment district, near the sports arenas
and theatres. The 294-room Alabama hotel is home to an elevated, outdoor pool
with private cabanas as well as restaurateur Todd English’s restaurant, PUB, which will have a carvery and
raw bar.

Hotel
Zetta opens on 18 February in San Francisco between the
neighbourhoods of Union Square and SoMa. The 116-room hotel has a game lounge
with video games, shuffleboard and a pool table near the lobby, as well as
in-room spa services. The design and furnishings make use of recycled
materials, including the lobby desk made from reclaimed timber.

The
Jade Hotel in New York City’s Greenwich Village will have a soft
opening in mid-February before the grand opening on 1 March. The 113 rooms are
designed with retro and Art Deco touches such as classic black rotary phones
and leather club chairs, while the Mediterranean restaurant Grapevine
serves local produce and ingredients from the nearby Hudson Valley.

And down under, the 168-room Sheraton Melbourne Hotel
debuts on 26 February in the Victorian city’s Central Business District on the
lower floors of a mixed-use residential tower. The hotel has a spa and heated
indoor pool, as well as a number of meeting and conference rooms.